Ihnat lab

The Ihnat Lab studies how to shift triple-negative breast cancer from an immune-silent state to an immune-visible state, with the goal of improving antitumor immunity and immunotherapy response.

Our Work

The Ihnat Lab studies immunogenic cell death (ICD) in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), an aggressive breast cancer subtype with limited treatment options and a high risk of recurrence. Our work focuses on a central question: why are some tumors intrinsically immune-silent, why do some therapies fail to make them visible, and why do others initially promote immune recognition but later lose that effect as tumors adapt? We examine how standard and novel anticancer agents differ in their ability to activate cellular stress pathways, trigger key danger signals, and promote functional immune activation. Using TNBC models that include both proliferative and dormant or residual tumor cell states, we measure ICD-associated signals and test whether they translate into dendritic cell activation and broader antitumor immune responses. Our goal is to define what controls this transition and how to shift tumors from an immune-silent state toward an immune-visible state that is more likely to respond to immunotherapy. In parallel, in collaboration with Randy Gallucci, the lab studies vesicant-induced injury and necroinflammation to define how chemical injury activates inflammatory and immune signaling pathways. We also study the lignite hypothesis of Balkan endemic nephropathy (BEN), with a focus on whether environmentally relevant lignite-derived exposures contribute to renal injury and disease risk.